Galway Plate odds: Mullins and Elliott mob-handed at Ballybrit

The Galway Plate is the feature race at the week-long Galway Races meeting and trainer Gordon Elliott will be aiming to land the prize for a fifth time in nine years.

The Cullentra handler has a six-strong team, including the likes of Chemical Energy and Zanahiyr, while Willie Mullins has five in the mix as he aims for a third Galway Plate victory.

Here's our look at some of the leading contenders to collect the €162,000 top prize in the Ballybrit feature.

Galway Plate

(Odds will display when market is available)

Perceval Legallois

Despite the plethora of runners for the Elliott and Mullins teams, Gavin Cromwell's contender appears likely to head the market.

He is a course winner on his only chase start at this venue and also went close in one hurdles spin here, while he was second-best behind Hgranca De Thaix in a Listed handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival on his most recent start in May. He's rated 5lb higher now.

In Excelsis Deo

There hasn't been a UK-trained winner of this race since Paul Nicholls scored with Oslot in 2008 but Harry Fry certainly has a lively contender with In Excelsis Deo.

The JP McManus-owned runner was a fine fourth in the Plate at the Cheltenham Festival in March and then scored at the Cotswolds venue the following month.

First-time cheekpieces are deployed here as he bids to defy a 5lb higher mark under Johnny Burke.

Mister Policeman

He is the choice of Paul Townend from the Willie Mullins contenders and is a winner of three from five over fences so far.

Having landed a Grade 3 novice event at Thurles in March, he was pulled up having gone off favourite in a big-field Listed novice handicap chase at Punchestown in his only run since but the champion jockey keeps the faith for now.

Lets Go Champ

Lets go Champ is very low-mileage for a nine-year-old and stamina looks to be his forte on his hurdles form.

He has proved consistent so far over fences and picked up his first win in this sphere via a Grade 3 handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival in May from a 9lb lower mark than this.

There are plenty of positives and Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore will be hoping the increased distance can bring further progress.

Amirite

A second contender for the De Bromhead team and an interesting jockey booking as Sam Twiston-Davies climbs on board.

Amirte's very best form comes over longer distances but the stiff nature of the track at Galway will aid him and he could shine in first-time cheekpieces.

Zanahiyr

He seems the leading contender in Elliott's latest assault on a race he has won four times since 2016, with Jack Kennedy on board.

He was just short of top-class as a hurdler but has been building good experience over fences in four runs, including a win at Thurles over shorter in February.

This is his first start in a handicap over fences and he is a player, if his stamina holds out.

Ash Tree Meadow

The defending champion is rated 160 and has the burden of top-weight as such, so it is perhaps no surprise that the Elliott team are allowing 7lb claimer Alex Harvey do the steering here.

Ash Tree Meadow won this race 12 months ago from 15lb lower in the ratings and will now attempt to follow Life Of A Lord and Ansar in becoming a repeat winner after easily winning a Grade 3 at Killarney in May on his most recent start over fences.

Saint Roi

Like Zanahiyr, he proved just shy of being top-class over hurdles and, after a promising start to his chasing career, is following a similar path now.

That said, Saint Roi's last two starts were runner-up finishes in the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree and then a Listed Punchestown Festival contest in May.

The result is a career-high chase mark of 156 for this assignment and there is a suspicion that his stamina might let him down.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.